Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic FDK: The Girl Next Door 9/?

Janet, this is again excellent. This entire part is about how Lois is incredibly attracted to Clark, how her attraction makes her flustered, and how this is turn makes her feel threatened and scared:

I love how you show that Lois is completely unable to hear even a word that Perry is saying during their morning meeting, because she is so busy fighting down a panic attack at how much Clark Kent affects her. He is really a menace to society, or at the very, very least to her:

Luckily, Clark is wonderfully perceptive, and he knows exactly what to do to avoid scaring her. For example, she is dreading the prospect of having lunch with him, but then this is what happens:

Wonderful, Janet. She's not feeling disappointment. Right.

I loved your twist on the little "You like to be on top" business, too:
Clark Kent affects her so thoroughly that she feels she ought to have sensed his presence if he ever came within a certain distance of her, which happened when they were both at Met U for three weeks:
Then Lois is telling Clark to keep another set of clothes at the Daily Planet. I'm so wondering - will we soon see Superman make his debut? Surely Clark Kent is Kryptonian too, not just Lois? And then, will she officially be a superhero, too? You already showed us in this chapter how she had freed two workers caught in a conduit under a manhole.

We can feel Lois's panic at Clark's presence slowly subsiding through the course of this part. All in all, this chapter reminds me of a Swedish poem, which in English would go something like this:


Am I interrupting something? he said. Am I disturbing you? Should I leave?

Of course you are interrupting something, she said. Of course you are disturbing me. You are turning my world upside down. Welcome.


Your lonely, lonely Lois needs to have her world turned upside down. She needs to ask Clark Kent to come into her world, really come in. I do believe you are going to show us how that will be happening, and I can't wait to get to see it.

Ann

I just caught up the last three parts of this story, and I'm only sorry I haven't read them sooner! I love love love how the chapters have progressed, and especially the genuinely kind, if tenuous, spell Clark has cast on Mad Dog Lane.

This in particular, made me smile:
I just love how Lois is so adamant — forcing herself to discourage any and all romantic thoughts about Clark, when we can clearly see she's already begun to fall for him.

I only have one tiny nit-pick:
The sentiment made my heart melt, but I couldn't help wondering if Met U wouldn't have a student population far greater than 10,000 (provided that it's a public university and not a private one). I'm a University of Kentucky grad, and our student population was a little more than 30,000 — and Lexington's home to less than 450,000 people. For a city the size of what Metropolis should be, and considering Met U's reputation, I just thought maybe it'd have more students.

But enough of that rather random mini-diatribe — Janet, your story is fantastic. I can't wait to read the next chapter!

Hmm, I don't know, is Clark Kryptonian? My first and only thought was, Okay, Lois has the super powers, and he stiil runs off. Some things never change.

Excellent part, looking forward to seeing what happens!

JD

Hi,

Great part.

Oh, this is still good! I really like how Lois's carefully contrived defenses are undone by this man she can't figure out, yet who she already doesn't want to live without. And their connection is so strong that she assumes she should have known she was on the same college campus as she.

I like that Lois has managed to grow to adulthood and retain control of her abilities and her temper. I still think she has some issues to deal with, but her memory of Mama will remain strong and help her overcome a lot of things that would have destroyed a weaker person. You've done a marvelous job painting her for your readers, and she's a wonderful heroine in a wonderful tale.

I also wonder about Clark's excuses and absences and his dirty slacks. Is he, as others have already suggested, also Kryptonian? If not, what's he doing? Is it something of which dragon-fighter Lois would not approve? I'm eager to see which it is, or if I'm completely on the wrong track and it's something else altogether.

I like his caution in relating to Lois, not pushing or making 'cute' little comments to her or about her. And he already knows how she likes her morning coffee. What's not to like?

Can't wait to see where this goes next!

Hah! I knew I was right! My husband and I had a big discussion about this, with me leaning toward a figure more like 35,000... he thought no, that number was too high. I went to Purdue University, which is outside the city... there were about that amount of students there. He went to college in a city, and estimated the student population much lower. I think I'll probably change that number... or specify it to, say, the Humanities only, rather than the entire student body. Thanks for the information.

~Toc

First, I just wanted to say how much I love this story. The quality of the writing is superb. I feel myself agreeing with what people have said above. Your story has the feel of the pilot episode and yet it is quite different as well. I don't mind the posting schedule so long as you promise to finish the story.

Also, in regard to the number of students at the university. I go to a Big 10 school (University of Minnesota) and there are slightly less than 50,000 students total. Minnesota and Ohio State have some of the largest student populations, so your original thought of 35,000 is very plausible. (I did a quick Wikipedia search and see that about 50,000 students attend NYU).

-Em

Pretty busy with RL lately so can't post much...just want to say I am really enjoying this story. Like the others, I'm curious about Clark's background and can't wait to see what unfolds. This is a very interesting and unique twist on the pilot. I love it. Keep it coming.

Marcy

Well, you know I adore it, Janet, but having read over the latest segment for you, I have to reiterate that I believe this to be one of the most original and beautiful alt-beginnings stories I've ever read.

I continue to be enthralled by the changes - large and small - that you've brought to the canon of the pilot. You've brought Clark and Lois to new life and yet maintained the essentials of what makes them who they are. And, darn it, you made me cry!

This is one of those special stories that comes along only rarely. That you will bring out and read over and over again.

I know I certainly will.

It's definitely going on my Kerth list for next year.


LabRat

Excellent... maybe Clark is Kryptonian... throughout this part you have alluded how Clark kinda knows what Lois is thinking (telepathic).. or maybe I'm overthinking... and completely wrong...

Anyways... looking forward to next part of this terrific story.

You're welcome! Always glad to help. And, though I'm not sure if this is any kind of significant issue, the journalism program may be housed separately from the college of arts and sciences/humanities. At UK, we have the School of Journalism and Information Studies, which is home to the journalism program as well as telecommunications, communications and integrated strategic communication (or, as we normal people call it, advertising). But, that's only one example and may not be par for the academic course!